HEALTHCARE WORKERS FIRST!

Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant asserts that the government is fully prepared to tackle any predicted third wave of Covid – 19. He was speaking at the felicitation ceremony of doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers at the Ravindra Bhavan at Sakhalim. He said the first dose of vaccination will be complete in Goa by July 30. He was full of praise for the healthcare workers who had excelled during the first and second wave of the pandemic. He also urged Goans to get vaccinated, “Eight lakh people have already taken their first dose.” Everything is ready and the government has decided to give priority to the healthcare workers while recruiting staff. At the felicitation function those present included DHS Director Dr Jose D’sa, ZP member Dr Rajendra Borkar, Vice-Chairperson of Ravindra Bhavan Gopal Surlakar, Health Officer-CHC Vithoba Ghadi, Dr Uttam Desai Saroj Desai and others. Gopal Surlakar appreciated the Goa government and CM for good initiatives, effective handling and management during the pandemic and even visiting every hospital to check facilities at ground level.

POLICE VIOLATES HUMAN RIGHTS

WE in the National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations (NCHRO), Goa Unit, and Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP) express grave concern over the unnatural deaths of three young members of a working-class family in south Goa. We condemn treatment metered out to them at the Verna Police, such treatment completely violates prevailing Supreme Court guidelines.
The announcement by the Superintendent of Police (South) of setting up a separate inquiry by SDPO Margao, Harish Madkaikar, smacks of wilful conspiracy to protect the police in uniform, because such an inquiry would also call for the role of the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mormugao, and hence a police officer of the same rank cannot be appointed to conduct a departmental inquiry.
Human rights groups in Goa have also called upon the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, to inquire into the grievances of the minor child picked up from near MES College, Vasco, at odd hours of the night, being summoned to the Verna police station, and criminally intimidated at the police station.
Also the brash statements by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, such as criticism of police will not be tolerated, embolden the police to commit atrocities against citizens and particularly those from marginalized sections of society.
The groups are demanding the constitution of an independent time-bound commission of inquiry to inquire into the matter, and that the Police Inspector in charge of the police station and the remaining officers and officials handling or dealing with the case be suspended pending inquiry. The groups have also demanded that it is imperative that an independent commission of inquiry seize all possible evidence including CCTV footage.
—Ranjan Solomon, National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation, Margao

RATIONS FOR WHOM?
THE Goa government one can say has utterly neglected people of Goa in these hard times of Covid pandemic. We hope at least individual MLAs and MPs are kind enough to reach out to the needy rather than go from door-to-door only during elections with their goodies.
Now is the time people need you and are counting on you. Recently, Goa’s civil supplies minister Govind Gaude made a statement that all those affected with covid and in home quarantine will get their rations from fair price shops home-delivered. Is this being done? The question remains unanswered.
The minister must ask elected panchayat members from each ward to coordinate with the fair price shops and local primary health centres, along with volunteers, and do home deliveries especially for the elderly. Every panchayat should have a directory of the elderly, their address and phone number. Since house tax money is collected this should be there on the records.
Essential rations should be delivered to the elderly and vulnerable who’re isolating themselves in their home, they are more prone to catching the virus. In such situation finger biometrics should be immediately exempted at fair price shops so that all may avail of rations courtesy the kind services of family members and their staff with due credentials.
—Jo Dias, Salcete

SUCCESSFUL VACCINATION DRIVES
AS THE number of jabs administered so far crosses the three billion mark, deaths worldwide have cumulatively crossed the four million mark but reduced considerably in the near past to about one fourth. The peak rates are a clear sign that vaccination drives are working although the Delta variant first detected in India is leading to anxiety.
The Delta variant’s spread has led to curbs not only being extended but also being re-imposed in several parts of the world. In India the death toll has touched 3,98.000 mark and the vaccination drive has already administered slightly over 33 crore jabs and succeeded in bringing down fatalities — now in the region of 800 deaths daily as compared to 4,000 deaths a day at its peak. Also, new infections have reduced to below 30,000 from its peak of 4,14,000 daily about 90 days back.
Worldwide it looks like the total tally of deaths will be much less than the 18 million of the previous Spanish flu pandemic a century ago. This indicates that heath care facilities have improved surely in the last century!
—Elvidio Miranda, Panaji